Bobbie Kilberg is a recovering job-hopper.
Like many in Washington, a series of political appointments left her with an eclectic resume of four-year job stints. But all that changed when she crossed the river to take a job as the president and CEO of the Northern Virginia Technology Council eight years ago.
“I’ve never been anywhere for eight years,” Kilberg said. “Most people I’ve worked for have lost their elections, so I’ve been at most places for four years. I’ve surprised myself with how much I love my job. Eight years is a significant period of time for me.”
Kilberg didn’t set out to join the high-tech world. After earning her law degree from Yale University, Kilberg came to Washington in 1969 as a White House Fellow, parlaying that into a career in presidential politics. She worked under Presidents Nixon, Ford and the first President Bush in various capacities. Most recently, she directed communications and policy relations between the White House and interest groups, with a special emphasis on the business sector. Very little of her presidential experience had her dealing with the high-tech community.
But it wasn’t her high-tech experience that landed her the job at NVTC, she said. Instead, it was her ability to work with the business community.
“I got to know the issues important to the business community. It translated very nicely to this position,” she said. “I came to NVTC without [a lot of] knowledge of the technology community, but I came with a good grounding in business associations and management.”
Kilberg has overseen NVTC since 1998. NVTC is one of the largest technology councils in the U.S. with more than 1,000 member companies employing more than 188,000 people.
And though her original political path could be considered the more quintessentially Washington career, the region is quickly becoming known for its technology industry, Kilberg said.
“If you travel elsewhere in the country and abroad and you say Northern Virginia or greater Washington, people say, ‘Oh there’s technology there.’ They don’t automatically say it’s a government town,” she said. “It’s a global technology center and that’s a huge shift.”
BUSINESS
» Current job: President & CEO, Northern Virginia Technology Council
» Last job: Deputy assistant to the president and director, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (President George H.W. Bush)
» Number of e-mails a day: About 250
» Number of voice mails a day: About 35
» Essential Web site: www.nvtc.org
» Best perk: Spending time with our members
» Gadgets: My kids’ iPods
» Education/credentials: B.A., Vassar College; M.A., Columbia University; J.D., Yale Law School
» First job: White House Fellow assigned to White House Domestic Policy Council
» Original aspiration: To be a detective
» Career objective: Right where I am now
PERSONAL
» Sports/hobbies: My children and grandchildren
» Favorite restaurant: McLean Family Restaurant
» Favorite clothier:Clothes made by Lan at Lan’s Tailors in McLean
» Vacation spot: Santa Fe
» Role model: My mom
» Worst fear: Flying in very small planes
